Lola Tried – Popsicle Queen

Lola Tried released their five-track debut EP, Popsicle Queen, today. The extended play is a strong first release from the band, featuring raw, jangly surf-rock guitar riffs and a strong bass presence. Out of Austin, Texas, Lola Tried is led by vocalist Lauren Burton, accompanied by Ray Garza, Ray Flynt, and Greg Spencer. These songs ring with an authenticity and energy that captures the audacity of youth and demonstrates the narrative power of music. Burton’s clear and compelling vocals are generous and tell stories of the everyday (“It’s nine o’clock/ and I’m fucking starving”) and the sometimes-sweet, sometimes-painful universal story of growing up (“Maybe I got too wrapped up/ in my high school caricatures/ . . . watching my cell phone/ but it never moved/ and I cried.”) Overall, Popsicle Queen is quite a delight.